In 1965, Chicago civil rights group invited martin Luther king to lead a demonstration against racial segregation in education, employment and housing. As the leader of this movement, he focused its effort on achieving fair housing practices resenting racial discrimination in housing. African American demonstrators faced racially fueled hostility which resulted the objection of open housing program by the racist white working class.
Fortunately, After Martin Luther king Jr. Negotiating with various housing boards, a summit agreement was announced on which Chicago housing authority gave the measurements required to build a public housing regardless of race. On the same, mortgage Bankers Association also concurred with the Chicago summit agreement to make mortgages available without racial segregation, this was the most significance program that was never seen before and it made open housing to become a reality in Chicago according to Martin Luther king Jr.
In march24, 1967, martin Luther king televised that the public agencies supported the agreement and gave credence to all claimers of the agreement as the batch of false promises. However, this was a bombshell on the whites, especially the working class who perceived African Americans as an inferior race living in slums, although most of the city officials failed to take concrete steps pertaining housing issues despite the fact that Martin Luther king got into summit agreement with the Chicago housing authority
In conclusion, Chicago freedom movement of 1996 is not merely a historical exercise; the social problems which include racially segregated housing, job opportunities inequalities and education addressed forty years ago are still a pressing problem today. However, understanding the root cause of this problem and the challenges that was faced by Chicago organizers is vital in formulating an effective solution today.